BALLROOM DANCES
AMERICAN SMOOTH
American Smooth grew up in American dance studios and on the movie screen, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are its classic example. Couples dance in a traditional ballroom hold but can break away into open and side-by-side figures, with expressive arm styling and room for theatrical flair.
WALTZ
Graceful and romantic, with the waltz’s signature rise and fall. In the Smooth version, couples flow in and out of hold, opening into underarm turns, side-by-side figures, and sweeping lines. It’s a favorite for wedding first dances.
TANGO
Dramatic and sharp, with crisp, staccato action and strong character. Smooth Tango uses both closed and open positions, giving couples room for bold, theatrical moments and playful changes of direction.
FOXTROT
The most American ballroom dance, born in the 1910s and named for vaudeville performer Harry Fox. Smooth and sophisticated, it travels effortlessly to big band and swing music, with open figures that make it a natural fit for social dancing and first dances.
VIENNESE WALTZ
Fast, elegant, and full of turning. The American version is danced to slightly slower music than its International counterpart, leaving time for open positions, spins, and extended arm lines between the classic rotating turns.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
International Standard developed in England and is the style danced at world DanceSport championships. Its defining rule is that the couple stays in closed hold from the first bar to the last, so all of the dance’s beauty must come from shared movement, precise footwork, and perfect partnership.
WALTZ
The foundation of the Standard style. Couples glide through continuous turns with long, flowing swing and a gentle rise and fall, entirely in closed hold.
TANGO
The most distinctive of the five. Unlike the other Standard dances, Tango has no rise and fall. It’s danced in a more compact hold, with grounded, sharp, staccato action and quick head movements that give it its intensity.
SLOW FOXTROT
Often considered the most difficult dance in the Standard syllabus. Slow Foxtrot looks effortless: long, gliding steps and seamless continuous movement, with nearly every challenge hidden beneath the surface.
VIENNESE WALTZ
The fastest of the waltzes, danced entirely in closed hold. Couples rotate continuously around the floor, creating one of the most breathtaking sights in ballroom.
QUICKSTEP
Light, fast, and joyful. Quickstep developed in 1920s England from a faster foxtrot combined with the Charleston, and was standardized in 1927. Its quick runs, chassés, lock steps, and hops make it the most energetic Standard dance.